Toss It or Wash It: 40 Household Items That Love to Harbor Bacteria

Our homes are filled with items that have the potential to harbor bacteria. We've highlighted some of the most common offenders so that you can replace or clean them on a regular basis.

Keep your razor in the shower? Big mistake. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, you should dry out your razor completely from shave to shave to prevent bacteria from growing on it. Even when stored in a dry area, razors don’t have a long shelf life. The AAD recommends throwing away disposable razors after five to seven shaves.

How many times do you use a towel before tossing it in the laundry? By keeping a towel on a hook in the bathroom, it gets wet every time someone uses the shower or bath. And when a cloth item stays wet, that can create mildew. Make sure to wash bath towels frequently with hot water, and if you still detect that mildew smell after washing, it’s time to toss and replace.

The same goes for hand towels, dish towels and washcloths. These items should be washed frequently with hot water. If your towels are white, you can add a cap full of bleach to the wash, too.

Your phone is a breeding ground for germs and it's dirtier than a toilet seat. A few of the standout germs that could be lurking on your phone include E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus. Creating a homemade mixture by combining rubbing alcohol and water to clean your cell phone is a great habit to form to keep this device pristine on a regular basis.

If your dishwasher stinks or simply isn't cleaning dishes as well as it once did, the problem is likely a dirty dishwasher filter. Food debris and calcium buildup will clog the filter, causing the dishwasher to clean poorly. Not only does the food waste in the filter stink, but the clogged dishwasher filter will cause waste to accumulate throughout the dishwasher by preventing proper draining. Start by locating and cleaning your dishwasher filer, then try using vinegar to clean out the dishwasher itself.

Soap residue and minerals in commonly used detergents are apt to build-up in the washing machine. Over time, you might notice that your clothes just don’t seem to get as clean as they used to or the machine itself starts to smell questionable. You can create homemade mixtures or use washing machine cleaner pods to get your machine smelling new again.

Compared to other household items, the toothbrush isn’t that germy — it didn’t make the NSF top 30 list. However, the toothbrush holder did in a major way. (See the next slide for the reason.) Still, it's important to replace toothbrushes frequently (every three to four months, according to the American Dental Association) and immediately if someone in your home has a virus.

The toothbrush holder is actually way more germy than a toothbrush. Why? Every time you use your toothbrush and place it back in the holder, those trace amounts of water collect at the bottom of the cup and create the perfect home for mold.

Bacteria love wet places, and your makeup is no exception. Make sure you wash your hands before handling liquid foundation and concealers to prevent spreading germs and toss your liquid makeup after about six months.

Just like liquid foundation, mascara creates a wet environment bacteria love. Replace your mascara every couple of months and never, ever share eye makeup.

You might not think of lipstick and lip balm as liquid makeup, but these items have a short shelf life as they touch your mouth constantly. When you use lip products, tiny amounts of food can transfer from your mouth to the lipstick tube where bacteria can thrive.

Makeup sponges, such as the Beautyblender, are great for getting that flawless, airbrushed look. But if it’s been a while since you cleaned your sponge, you’re not doing your skin any favors and you might be spreading bacteria onto your face. Clean your sponges regularly with this technique, and replace them about every three months.

You wash your bed sheets frequently, but how often do you wash your pet’s bed? Dogs can track in small amounts of fecal matter from outside, so if you’re not washing your pet bed, it may be time to toss and replace. Look for a machine-washable bed, or one with a removable cover.

When was the last time you washed your pet’s toys? Cloth toys such as tennis balls and plastic toys with little nooks and crannies are the perfect home for mold and yeast. The NSF also found a high amount of staph in pet toys swabbed.

A contact lens case doesn't seem like something that would need replacing — especially since it literally holds contact cleaner. But when you handle your contacts and case, you transfer germs from your hands into the case and reservoir. When dealing with items that go directly onto your eyeballs, it’s best to replace occasionally. And always wash your hands before handling contacts.

Your child’s bath toys may be harboring mold, especially if the toys have openings that you can’t completely dry off after bath time. Make sure toys are stored in a dry place and not kept in the shower.

The loofah is one of the most overlooked items to replace in your bathroom, but it’s one of those items you should replace weekly. Think about it. It hangs on your shower caddy 24/7 in a wet shower. It’s basically a ball of potential mold.

It’s important to thoroughly clean your toilet brush after each use before placing it back in the toilet brush holder. Otherwise, the same situation that happens with a kitchen sponge and sponge holder or a toothbrush and toothbrush holder can occur. And if anyone in your home gets a stomach bug or virus, toss the toilet brush after using and replace with a new brush.

An air humidifier is a godsend during the winter months, but if you just pack it up and place it back in the closet after the season, your humidifier is probably harboring some serious mold. Make sure to keep filters clean and dry out components completely after each use.

According to the NSF study, your cutting board is dirtier than your toilet seat. If that seems crazy, consider this: Every cut made in the cutting board creates a tiny home for bacteria to breed. If you’re using a plastic cutting board, swap out for wood as most wood cutting boards have resins that are antibacterial.

Most people think the bathroom is the germiest place in the house, but according to a swab study from the National Sanitation Foundation, it’s actually the kitchen. By a lot. And the germiest item in the kitchen? Your dish sponges. The kitchen sponge outranked all other household items for staph, mold, yeast and Coliform bacteria. Disinfect your sponge every other day by moistening it and microwaving it on high for one or two minutes and replace every two weeks.

That cute little frog holder or sponge caddy isn’t clean either. Any area that constantly remains wet creates the perfect breeding environment for bacteria. Every time you change out your sponge, clean out your sponge holder.

Like bath towels, bathmats are constantly exposed to damp, dark environments bacteria love. But unlike bath towels, bathmats aren’t washed frequently. If you have a cloth bathmat and can’t easily wash and dry it completely, throw it out.

The coffee maker made NSF’s top 10 germiest items list and outranked the toilet seat with more Coliform bacteria. Why? The reservoir. Even if you toss the coffee filter and grounds immediately after making coffee, the reservoir can still breed bacteria. Make sure to keep the lid up after making coffee to help the reservoir dry out.

You wash your plates and bowls after every meal, but how often do you wash your pet’s bowls? In their swab study, the NSF found mold, staph, Coliform and even E. coli in pet food and water bowls. If you’re still using plastic, swap out your pet’s bowls for stainless steel (which are less likely to get chips and cracks where bacteria can grow) and wash frequently.

It may not seem like something to clean frequently—especially since food is often wrapped inside—but the lunchbox can harbor a lot of germs. Food waste mixed with thawed ice packs create a great home for mold and yeast.

We’re not saying toss your purse. But understand that it brings in tons of germs into the house. The NSF found a high amount of yeast and mold at the bottom of most purses swabbed. So the next time you come home, don’t immediately set your purse on the kitchen counter or dining room table.

While pillows aren’t typically a bacteria culprit, they do harbor dust mites, dead skin cells and body oils. Most pillows can be thrown in the washer, but if not, it’s time to replace. If you suffer from bad allergies, try replacing or cleaning your pillows every couple of months.

If the toilet brush was unsettling, brace yourself for this shocking information: Your shower curtain is the germiest thing in your bathroom. According to a study from Safe Home, the shower curtain harbors 60 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. Yes, 60. While the average toilet seat has about 235,000 colony-forming units of bacteria, the shower curtain has more than 16 million. Why? Like bath towels, fabric shower curtains absorb moisture in an already humid environment, which creates the perfect situation for mold and bacteria to thrive. Consider machine-washable and dryer-friendly shower curtains, so that you can sanitize your curtain regularly.

That plastic shower liner isn't safe either as it easily harbors mold and mildew. Shower liners should be replaced every six months and washed at least once a month to ensure you're keeping germs at bay. Plus, if you wash the liner regularly, the vinyl won't appear foggy.

Dust, dirt, oil from skin and hair, sweat, lotion and conditioners can leave your baseball cap looking less than new in no time. Whether dirty from tearing around the bases during Little League or after working in the garden, hats and baseball caps will last longer with routine cleaning and washing.

While reusable water bottles are a great alternative to single-use plastics, they're a goldmine for bacteria if not washed daily. According to a recent study from WaterFilterGuru, a squeeze-top water bottle had 6,000 times the bacteria of a toilet seat! Screw-top lids and straw lids weren't great either with 20 to 30 million colony-forming units of bacteria. It's a good rule of thumb to wash your reusable water bottle between each use.

You might think trash bags create a germ barrier to the actual trash can, but it's no match against bacteria. And the second something leaks, the bottom of your trash can becomes a thriving cornucopia of growing nastiness from E. coli to listeria. Make a habit of always checking the bottom of your waste bin, as you take out the bag, for leaks, spills or accidental items. And like countertops that come into contact with food, clean your trash can regularly with an anti-bacterial surface spray cleaner, and don't forget the recycling bin. While items in the recycling are typically rinsed and empty, trace amounts of food still pose a threat for bacteria build-up.

If your cleaning routine for the shower doesn't include the shower head filter, you're missing a crucial piece. The head itself could be shiny and spotless, but if this interior piece isn't sanitized every couple of months, you're not getting the healthiest, cleanest water. And while you're likely not drinking large amounts of shower water, clean water is critical for skin and haircare.

How often do you wash your bed sheets? It may not be enough to keep bacteria at bay. Like towels and pillows, bed sheets have a shelf life and should be replaced every couple of years. And they should be washed at least once a week. Sheets absorb moisture, which creates the perfect warm environment to harbor bacteria. So, if you get night sweats or sleep with your dog, you actually should be washing your sheets more than once a week. But bacteria aside, washing your sheets more frequently is a great overall hygiene practice as sheets contain a lot of our dead skin cells and skin oil, which can attract bed bugs, mites and other allergens.

Shared yoga mats at the gym are more cause for concern as it's an easy place to pick up viruses. But even your at-home gym mat should be cleaned regularly. Yoga mats absorb sweat, which can create the perfect hot bed for not only bacteria but fungus such as athlete's foot and ringworm. And even with regular cleaning, a yoga mat only lasts so long and should be replaced once a year.

From kitchen mats to entryway runners, rugs in high-traffic areas are packed with germs. Like bathmats, these areas see lots of moisture and vacuuming can only clean so much. High-heat steam cleaners are a great way to sanitize non-washable rugs. But we love a machine-washable rug, such as Ruggable's washable mats, for regular cleaning. It's essential for mudrooms and entryways, especially when you have kids and pets tracking in dirt.

Dirt, dust and wax routinely come into contact with your Apple AirPods, making your expensive earbuds and their expensive charging casement look ragged and worn. What happens when you delay cleaning them? Bad things. Not only do they start to look really grimy, but as you might expect, all that gunk wreaks havoc on their performance as well. By using a microfiber cloth and toothpick for a regular cleaning, your Apple AirPods will sound better and be less grimy.

As a general rule, your mattress should be replaced every seven years. That number is largely due to the lack of support and sleep performance over time. However, it's not a bad idea for germs either as your mattress could have up to 16 million colony-forming units of bacteria after seven years. To combat this, you can use a steam cleaner on most mattresses. This is especially important if you suffer from bad allergies.